Mustafa Barzani Memorial Day in Iraqi Kurdistan Date in the current year: March 1, 2018

Iraqi Kurdistan is an autonomous region in Iraq populated mainly by Kurds, a Middle Eastern ethnic group. No wonder that most holidays and remembrance days here are inspired by the history and culture of the Kurdish people. For example, on March 1 Kurds observe Mustafa Barzani Memorial Day dedicated to a famous Kurdish nationalist leader.

Mustafa Barzani was born in 1903 in Barzan. His father was the leader of the tribe of the same name. At age 16 Barzani joined the fight against the British in Iraq. In the early 1930s, he participated in a tribal insurrection and surrendered to Iraq when the insurrection failed.

In 1943, Barzani broke free from his exile in Sulaymaniyah and initiated another revolt. Following the establishment of the Republic of Kurdistan in Mahabad, he was appointed as the Minister of Defense. After the collapse of the Republic of Mahabad in 1946, Barzani moved to the USSR.

Barzani returned to Iraq in 1958 and subsequently participated in numerous independence struggles against Baghdad. Following the 1975 Algiers Agreement between Iran and Iraq, he lost the support of Iran, ended the insurrection and left the country. Barzani died from lung cancer in the United States on March 1, 1979.

Mustafa Barzani was the primary leader of the Kurdish revolution. Naturally, his death anniversary is an important memorial day in the region.